More pill-testing at festivals on the cards after Canberra success

A second pill-testing trial at an Australian music festival is likely to take place following its success at Canberra's Groovin the Moo, a leading drug expert has said.

The president of Harm Reduction Australia, Gino Vumbaca, said it's a matter of when, not if, that a second trial would take place after the first round of testing in the country happened last weekend.

The success of the first pill-testing trial at Groovin the Moo could pave the way for more trials.Credit:Jamila Toderas

"I think that would be a natural conclusion to draw. I know there's been a lot of discussion with governments, but most governments outside the ACT have taken a position against it, but now they have an understanding of how it operates," he said.

"What they should do is reopen political discussion on pill testing, now there's Australian-based evidence."

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There were 128 participants in last weekend's trial. Eighty-five samples were tested by the STA-Safe Consortium, two of which were deadly.

Substances linked to a mass overdose overseas were also found in the tablets tested, while some samples also contained ingredients such as lactose, paint or condensed milk.

More than 100 people took part in the first pill-testing trial in Canberra/Credit:Viki Yemettas

Mr Vumbaca said he hoped other governments would be open to the idea of pill testing in their jurisdictions following the successful trial.

"When you see new evidence, it comes back down to whether you reconsider your position," he said.

"In Canberra, we had the full support of the government and police, and that's critical."

However, the president said it's unlikely for pill testing to show up right away at other large scale music festivals such as Splendour in the Grass.

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"Festivals are a large business, and it takes a lot of risk and outlay of money," Mr Vumbaca said.

"It would be hard to do one at Splendour in the Grass without government or police support.

The organisers of Splendour in the Grass declined to comment when asked if pill testing was being considered for this year's festival being held in Byron Bay during July.

The Sunday Canberra Times also approached the organisers of several major music festivals including Spilt Milk, Laneway, Falls, Big Pineapple and Defqon.1, but all declined to comment.

NSW Police Minister Troy Grant said earlier this week he was "a thousand per cent against pill testing" and that the NSW government would not be implementing a trial.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the current stance on pill testing would not be reconsidered.

Chief executive of Family Drug Support Tony Trimingham said further harm reduction measures were needed in Australia, throwing his support behind more pill testing.

"As the father of someone that has lost a son to drugs, the last thing I would do would be to support a program that in any way would increase the risk of harm," he said.

Mr Vumbaca said a report on the pill-testing trial at Groovin the Moo was being prepared for the ACT government, and was expected to be completed by the end of the month.